


Short for Mackerel

by Annabelle



Series: Clarity [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-25
Updated: 2013-07-25
Packaged: 2017-12-21 08:05:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/897921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annabelle/pseuds/Annabelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And are we just cat-sitting while Makoto does his annual spring cleaning?” (In which Haru brings home a new family member and Rin doesn't put up much of a fight.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Short for Mackerel

Rin came home to the faint sound of the shower running in their bedroom and a pot of boiling water left unattended on the stove.

He sighed, dropping his bag by the coatrack and toeing off his shoes and sliding his jacket from his shoulders to drape over the back of the couch as he moved forward through the living room and into the kitchen. He found it as he expected- in disarray. A box of noodles was ripped open and half-dumped out onto the counter, the spice cabinet was left open with a few of the containers tipped over like someone had been digging around to find Rin’s hidden jar of pocky (which he quickly investigated, and was pleased to see the box remained untouched). And then over by the sink, in the dish drainer, sat a thawed mackerel, which confused Rin for about half a second before he just chuckled a little and plucked it up and carried it over to drop into the awaiting frying pan shoved onto the backburner of the stove.

They’d been living together for almost a year now, after a lot of silent avoidances and sleepovers on tiny mattresses in tiny, one-room apartments. It had taken about a week before Rin had adapted to the new presence in his- their- home, but he welcomed it. He treasured it, even.

Behind him, the shower clicked off, and Rin finished gathering up the scattered noodles and sliding them into the boiling water before turning around. “Haru! What did I tell you about leaving the stove-”

Rin froze, one foot mid-step, and dropped his head to stare wide-eyed at the little white ball of fur currently rubbing against the inside of his ankle.

“Uh-”

The cat looked up at him, as if it were curious, and then arched its back, gave a low purr, and flopped down right on top of Rin’s bare foot.

“What are you doing to Mack?”

Rin glanced up to find Haru standing in the doorway of their bedroom, a pair of Rin’s pajama bottoms slung low on his hips ( _“But those are my favorite pair, Haru,” he had argued the first time he caught Haru wearing them.” Haru had only glanced away from the dolphin documentary playing on the television to flash him an exasperated look. That had been the end of the conversation._ )

“Mack?” Rin asked, mouth quirking slightly as Haru slid over and dropped down to coax the pliant cat into his arms. “As in…”

“Mack, short for Mackerel.” Haru amended, and turned away from Rin to move into the living room.

“And you got Mack…”

“From Makoto.”

Rin nodded, not in the least surprised. “And are we just cat-sitting while Makoto does his annual spring cleaning?”

Another narrow look was flashed at him. “Makoto found her under that hedge in his backyard.” He paused, scratched at Mack’s head before mumbling, “I’ve always wanted a cat.”

If it had been any other day, and if Rin wasn’t in such a good mood, and if Haru wasn’t staring at him from across the room with that look that Rin _knew_ Haru knew was the look that pulled at all of Rin’s strings, then he might have argued about Mack.

But Haru _was_ giving him that look, and Haru looked far too cute cuddling Mack against his chest, so Rin sighed, relenting without even putting up a fight, and turned back to the stove to start cooking the fish. “We’ll go shopping tomorrow for cat food.”

Mack meowed, Rin picked up one of the spice containers on the counter, and Haru stepped up behind him, lips pressed softly to nape of his neck as his hands dropped to Rin’s hips.


End file.
